Clothing of Ancient Egypt

What materials did their clothing consist of?

Ancient Egyptians wore linen-based clothes. Fabrics that are light and cool, like linen, are useful in hot climates like Egypt’s.

The flax plant’s fibers were used by the Egyptians to make linen. The fibers were spun by workers into thread, which was subsequently wove on looms into linen cloth. It was a drawn-out and difficult procedure.

Rich individuals wore extremely soft linen clothing with thin fibers. Peasants and the underprivileged wore rougher linen garments composed of heavier fabrics.

Typical Clothing

Ancient Egyptian clothing was fairly basic. Usually white, linen fabric was rarely dyed a different hue. The majority of the clothes was wrapped around and secured with a belt, so very little of it was sewn. Additionally, both the wealthy and the poor tended to wear similar fashions.

Men wore kilt-like wraparound skirts. Over the course of Ancient Egypt’s history, the skirt’s length changed. It occasionally fell just above the knee. The skirt could also be longer and go almost to the ankles.

The customary attire for women was a long, wraparound dress that reached their ankles. The styles of dresses varied, and sleeves could be present or absent. Dresses were occasionally embellished with beads or feathers.

Did they wear shoes?

The Egyptians typically wore no shoes, but when they did, they wore sandals. Wealthy people wore leather sandals. Sandals made of woven grass were worn by the less fortunate.

Jewelry

Ancient Egyptians had simple, unadorned attire, but they made up for it with beautiful jewelry. Both sexes wore a ton of jewelry, such as bulky necklaces, earrings, and bracelets. The neck collar was one style of jewelry that was popular. On important occasions, neck collars with colorful beads or gems were worn.

Wigs and hair

Hairstyles played a significant role and evolved over time. Women often kept their hair short until the Middle Kingdom era. They started wearing their hair longer both during and after the Middle Kingdom. Men typically shave their heads or have short hair.

Wealthy individuals frequently wore wigs, both men and women. The wealthier the person, the more ornate and jeweled the wig.

Makeup

The use of makeup was significant in Egyptian fashion. Men and women both wore cosmetics. Their skin was plastered in lotions and oils, and their eyes were painted with a thick black eye paint known as “kohl.” They looked fantastic, but the cosmetics did more than that. It assisted in shielding their skin and eyes from the scorching Egyptian sun.

Interesting Information about Ancient Egyptian Clothing

The Pharaoh and high-ranking priests occasionally donned cloaks made of leopard skin. The leopard was revered as a sacred animal by the Egyptians.

Prior to the age of six, kids wore no clothing at all.

Priests in ancient Egypt shaved their heads.

The Pharaohs kept their faces clean-shaven but for religious reasons donned false beards. Even Hatshepsut, a female pharaoh, sported a false beard while in power.